Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman and philosopher in the final years of the Republic and remains one of the greatest and most influential orators in Western history. Among his many famous tracts
and speeches, one of the most remarkable remains the First Catilinarian Oration, a condemnation of the senator Lucius Sergius Catiline for his role in a conspiracy against the Republic. Enraged at having lost the election for consulship the previous year to Cicero, his political rival, Cataline wove a plot to assassinate Cicero and several other senators to ensure his victory in the election of 63 bce. When the plot was uncovered and foiled, the election was postponed, and the Senate meeting moved to a more secure location the following day to discuss the conspiracy. Cataline arrived at the Senate, shocking the entire Senate, but Cicero quickly recovered and delivered the First Catilinarian Oration, a masterpiece of oratory skill, which prompted the rest of the Senate to denounce Cataline as a traitor. Cataline fled the city with his conspirators and was killed a year later in battle with Republican soldiers.

What is the topic of this passage?

(A) The works of Marcus Tullius Cicero
(B) The effects of the First Catilinarian Oration
(C) The Catilinarian conspiracy
(D) The First Catilinarian Oration
(E) Famous orations